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Injuries stall Spring Training for local major leaguers David Wright, Jharel Cotton

Posted at 8:09 PM, Mar 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-13 20:14:46-04

David Wright of the New York Mets. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

NORFOLK, Va. – As Opening Day approaches in Major League Baseball, a pair of local products are slated to miss time due to injury.

Both Chesapeake native David Wright (Hickory High School) and Newport News product Jharel Cotton (Menchville High School) are hurting as MLB Spring Training winds down.

Mets third baseman Wright, who has been limited to just 75 games the past three seasons due to neck, shoulder and back surgeries, was informed by Los Angeles-based specialist Dr. Robert Watkins his injury issues have not dissipated. Because of that, Wright will be held out of all baseball activities for at least another eight weeks. This info is courtesy of Anthony DiComo of NYMets.com.

David Wright looks on during batting practice.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Wright has not played in a Major League game since May 27, 2016. This latest setback is likely to ensure the seven-time All-Star will go at least two full years without seeing big league action.

“That’s very sad news for Mets fans and for us too,” Jose Reyes, Wright’s teammate for 10 of the past 14 seasons, told the website. “We want to see David on the field. To see him going through the last few years, seeing him every day putting the work he put in to try to get ready to be on the field, and we don’t see any good news? It’s just bad. We feel bad for the guy.”

Last month, Wright admitted he’s on “an uphill climb” to return to the diamond.

In 13 seasons, Wright has 242 career home runs and 970 career runs batted in. Wright played in just 38 games in 2015 and only 37 in ’16. According to Spotrac, the Mets owe him $47 million from 2018 to 2020.

Jharel Cotton of the Oakland Athletics.
(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

26 year old Jharel Cotton, a starting pitcher for the Oakland A’s, is scheduled for an MRI on his throwing (right) elbow back in the Bay Area of California. According to MLB.com’s Jane Lee, Cotton is scheduled to see Dr. William Workman, the team’s orthopedist, Wednesday after experiencing elbow soreness in his latest outing – a start that lasted only four innings.

“He’s going home, so there’s some concern,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters.

Cotton, who went 9-and-10 with a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts with Oakland last season, will not make his next scheduled start – slated for Saturday.